1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle security, more particularly, to a permanently anchored tie-down ring to which vehicles can be secured by a cable, chain, or other means.
2. The Prior Art
When securing a large movable item, such as a ladder, motorcycle, bicycle, snowmobile, or portable generator, so that it will not be stolen, a stationary object, or anchor, is needed to which to secure the item. The person securing the item will generally use what is available, such as fences, railings, trellises, parking meters, and lamp posts. All of these anchors have other reasons for being where they are, which means that they typically are not designed to be used as an anchor for securing movable items. They may be too weak to perform adequately. For example, a chain link fence is easy to cut even if the movable item is attached by a heavy chain or cable. Some anchors may force the person to secure the movable object in a place that is inconvenient, too public, or that obstructs other activities. Some anchors may be unusable because of local ordinances that forbid such use of public facilities.
Some localities have made bicycle racks available. However, there are situations where bicycle racks are not adequate. Bicycle racks are typically located off the street, such as on the sidewalk, where it cannot be used to secure a motorcycle. And bicycle racks are, by necessity, permanently mounted. As a result, they are obtrusive and take up space that may be better used when the rack is not in use.
Other less intrusive anchors are in use. For example, some use a large eyelet or inverted U-shaped rod sunk into concrete or other permanent surface. The anchor extends upwardly from the concrete to provide a hole through which to thread a cable or chain. The hole needs to be reasonably large to accommodate large chains and large loops at the end of cables. These anchors are typically located so that they are convenient to motorcycles, but this also means that their obtrusiveness may prevent other vehicles from using the same space.
Consequently, there continues to be a need for an anchor that is convenient for use by cyclist, but that does not hinder alternate uses of the same space.